In recent years there has been heavy emphasis on the development and industrial application of processes which involve the use of immobilized enzyme. Immobilized enzyme is generally produced by contacting an enzyme preparation (either a crude or purified solution of the enzyme) with an adsorptive carrier therefor. These immobilized enzymes are particularly useful because they facilitate continuous as opposed to batch processing.
In attempting to adapt various enzymes for immobilized enzyme usage, however, certain problems such as low levels of absorption on the carrier have been encountered. This problem is particularly undesirable because it results in immobilized enzyme compositions having low operational efficiencies.
The present invention involves, in part, the discovery of a major cause and of means for overcoming the foregoing problem. Consequently, this invention permits use of many enzymes which have not heretofore been successfully or practicably employed in immobilized form.
The difficulties heretofore encountered in the immobilization of certain enzymes have been found to derive from the presence of certain polysaccharides of high molecular weight which are commonly present in enzyme preparations. These polysaccharides are also adsorbed by carriers and have been found to inhibit the adsorption of the enzyme, presumably through blockage of active sites on a carrier which would normally attract and hold the enzyme.